1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a beverage cooler structure and, in particular to an insulating cover for a beverage container that has a bottom strap to facilitate cover removal from the container. The present invention also relates to an insulating cover having an improved top closure structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of rigid insulated containers are known and used for transporting hot or cold beverages and/or other food stuffs. Typically, because of their size, and insulative characteristics, such coolers and totes are filled with beverages and the like just before departure. The insulative structure of the rigid container thereafter generally maintains the temperature of the food and drink during transport.
Recently, softsided coolers, in particular softsided beverage coolers, have been gaining popularity. Such softsided beverage coolers include a relatively rigid beverage container, sometimes referred to as a liner, which has a screw top closure. An insulative cover receives the beverage container and generally maintains the temperature of the container contents during transport, until consumption. The lightweight structure of the insulative cover, the comfort afforded by the soft exterior, the provision of a shoulder strap, and the like, have all been desirable attributes of such coolers from the consumer's point of view. Moreover, while, as noted above, conventional rigid insulating containers must be filled immediately before departure, softsided beverage cooler liners can be filled in advance, stored with other beverage containers in the refrigerator, and then simply placed in the insulative cover at the time of departure.
Softsided beverage coolers have not, however, been without deficiencies. Indeed, attachment and removal of the top panel of some prior art insulating jackets has been problematic. More specifically, some such closure structures provide a top panel that has a hole for receiving the neck of the beverage container liner. However, it can be difficult to fit such an apertured cover over the container neck, particularly when the cap is attached to it. The same is true when the top panel is to be opened for liner removal and the cover must be removed from the neck and cap. If the hole in the cover provides a relatively snug fit, the consumer must tug and wrestle with the cover to remove it for liner disengagement.
Furthermore, because of the softsided characteristics of the container cover, and its relatively snug fit to the container liner, in practice removing the liner from the cover can require a great deal of pulling and tugging on the container, as well as crushing and distortion of the side walls of the cover, to free the liner from the insulative cover.
Thus, it is clear that modifications to the conventional soft cover structure would be desirable to make softsided beverage coolers more consumer friendly and, in particular, to provide easier access to and removal of the container liner.